On the Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii

I convinced my wife, 2 daughters and one of my daughters friends from school to go to Hana with me. However, my oldest daughter was tired from snorkeling down to 40 feet the previous day off the snorkel boat to Lanai with me. I had lived there with my oldest daughter when she was a baby and some of the locals had given my daughter the nickname "Aloha" because of her happy spirit. So, sometimes when we go to Hawaii together I will call my older daughter now 23 "Aloha". However, this day she said she was tired and stayed at the hotel on the beach and the rest of us got into our rented SUV and headed out to Hana. What was amazing about this journey is that since the Road to Hana is one of the rainiest places on Maui being mostly in a tropical Rainforest overgrown with waterfalls and one way bridges to get to Hana. As we neared Hana I was looking for  Wai'anapanapa State Park which is an amazing black sand beach and lava caves park where snorkeling can be really nice. The last time we all went there and really snorkeled my older daughter was only 16 and my youngest was only 9. We had snorkeled and were in our bathing suits and it had been cloudy and about 78 degrees Fahrenheit when the skies let lose that time and totally drenched us as we got out of the water to sort of make a dash for the rental window van we were traveling in that day. I can remember us all laughing because it was so unusual for us all being from California and Oregon to experience this hard of a tropical rain where the drops feel like small cups of water hitting you being thrown from above in succession like you are literally taking a shower or standing under a warm waterfall. So, it finally got so funny we all after scurrying to the van just had to all laugh gleefully standing there in the warm tropical rain in our bathing suits while holding our towels and snorkels and masks which now were soaked. 

So, this time it was the opposite with full sun which is fairly unusual because of being one of the rainiest places on the island. The sun followed us to Hana Harbor where there is a beach that many locals were hanging out at. My wife and younger daughter got shave ices and my daughter's tongue turned completely blue like a smurf and we all laughed. I went to Hana Ranch and got a Vegeburger so I felt sort of filled up enough to continue the drive on to Haleakala state park further around where the Seven Sacred Pools are. When I lived in Hana in 1989 you could swim in the Seven Sacred Pools but now you only can go there to swim below the bridge where the cars drive across. You get there on the loop trail from the ranger station where you park. Many people were gathering there I think in preparation for the sunset which was going to be a really nice one because of the clear skies. I walked down the trail and over the rocks to where the river from the seven sacred pools meets the ocean and stood there in the water as the fresh water and ocean water mingled. I have found places like this are often power spots and are very helpful in increasing and maintaining your health and the health of your family and friends as well as helping the health of all life on earth if you are in the right state or states of consciousness while you are there.

I also stood in one of the pools coming from a nearby waterfall before I reached Haleakala state park and got a healing by doing that. I spoke with the nature spirits all over the island and felt their healing presence both before and after Hana. Before I left the mainland I had requested to my wife to make this drive to Hana and Haleakala State Park. But if you do this just remember if you are starting at Paia or Lahaina it likely is going to take you all day to do this if you are going to drive 45 minutes to an hour from Lahaina or further north to Paia and then the 3 hours from Paia to Hana (conservative estimate or more) depending upon how you drive and how many times you stop to take pictures of beautiful things. So, round trip just to Hana from Lahaina and further north and back likely will be about 8 hours or more of driving. For this reason many people take tour buses to Hana and some even fly back in a Helicopter after taking a tour bus to Hana. The advantage of this is you don't have to get scared driving the road with about 57 one lane bridges and other one way points and of facing off with tour buses and large trucks sometimes. But, if you are okay with all of this and want to drive and experience it for yourselves in your own perfect time and schedule   then I believe it is all worth it because you get to see and stop wherever and whenever the spirit moves you. But you have to be able to deal with people coming the other way. For whatever the reason this particular day we were very lucky because there weren't as many people on the road as other days I've done this. Some days it can be so busy that you might be muttering to yourself under your breath. But the day we went it was sunny, beautiful and perfect in every way and I was grateful for my sake and the three ladies traveling with me.

Also, I had the advantage of having lived in Hana and knowing the road fairly well because I used to drive it at least once a week to go food shopping (which is cheaper) in Kahului than trying to shop in Hana for a weeks worth of food. (Though I saw signs that there are now companies that deliver food to you at a price if you live or visit there).

Maui is an amazing place and I fell in love with Maui after I moved there in 1989. Though I wasn't able to stay there because it was just too expensive for me then trying to raise 4 kids, now I likely can visit at least once a year which is great to go back and feel the full spirit of "Aloha" once again. So though I carry "Aloha" in my heart it is always great to go back there for a recharge!